


Dropped to Reality

by OpheliaPending



Category: Queen of the South (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, holiday romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-03 17:14:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15823374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpheliaPending/pseuds/OpheliaPending
Summary: Teresa goes on holiday and gets caught up in a whirlwind romance with a mysterious stranger. What happens when she comes back to reality only to find out that he’s her new co-worker?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the first chapter is finally here!

The airport was alive with a constant buzz of conversation echoing from the high ceilings, soundwaves bouncing around like a kid on sugar. The hum, however, was drowned out by Teresa’s excitement; her increased heartrate causing a thumping in her ears. She was elated. It wouldn’t be long now until she was laying on the beach and soaking in the sun; relaxing for days on end. It had been a much-needed vacation on the horizon of 2 years straight working.

Teresa looked to the departures board just as the announcement system crackled, “ _Attention all passengers of flight LIS-117x to Lisbon, Portugal, boarding will commence shortly. We wish that you check your luggage, go through security and make you way to gate 29_.”

The corners of Teresa’s mouth upturned as she faced her dear friend, “I guess that’s me.”

“Do you have to go Teresa?” Tony asked.

“Hush. She’s going on holiday – well deserved if you ask me,” Brenda stepped forward and gave Teresa a hug.

“Thank you,” Teresa whispered.

“You’ve been working so hard lately,” Brenda spoke softly as their hug parted. “Guero’s been gone for 2 years now,” she wiggled her finger at Teresa, raising her eyebrows, “you need to go and find yourself a real man.” Teresa chuckled at the instruction. Because it definitely didn’t sound like a suggestion. She wasn’t opposed to the idea of a mysterious stranger ravaging her being, but mainly she’d be happy enough to lay in the sun, soak in the culture and relax.

Teresa swept her hand over Tony’s face, brushing his hair to the side, “I’ll see you in a few weeks,” she drew her arms around his shoulders and he hugged her middle. Tony squeezed tightly but then promptly let go.

“Bye,” her smile reaching her eyes as she turned around and headed off.

 

~*~

It was a long flight ahead of her but luckily, she managed to score a window seat. Soon the view of the land gave way to the vast stretch of ocean, music playing through her headphones bringing the wisps of water to life. Not long now. Teresa had been researching for months all the best places to go – the beaches, museums, bars and cafes. There was so much to do and to explore, she could hardly contain herself.

About 3 hours in to her 9-hour flight, she nodded off, head perched on the window, only to be awoken an hour later when her seat neighbour struck up conversation.

“So you here for business or pleasure?” Noticing Teresa groggy state, the lady apologized, “Sorry darlin’, didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“That’s alright, I didn’t sleep much last night,” she smiled at the stranger and rubbed her eyes, “Nerves, but the good kind.”

The lady was heavy set with kind eyes, a sun visor adorning the crown of her head. Why she wore that while on the plane Teresa wasn’t sure. But hey. They were on holiday – anything goes right?

“Oh I remember the first time I came here, I was so anxious I nearly wet myself!” a raucous laughter erupted. “Turned out to be the happiest moment of my life though,” she slapped the man sleeping next to her on the chest, “cause I met this lug here! Got married like a couple years later. Come back for the golfing every year on our anniversary.” _Golf_. The visor made sense now.

“Oh gosh I don’t mean to be one of those oversharing nosy-Nellys!” the lady’s cheeks flushed red.

“That’s alright, I don’t mind,” she held out her hand to the stranger, “Teresa, and I’m on holiday.” Even the way the word ‘holiday’ rolled of her tongue made her giddy.

The lady blinked a few times and grasped her hand giving it a good shake, “Right, where are my manners. I’m Luisa, and,” Luisa slapped her husband again, “this is Warren.” The man snorted but refused to break his slumber.

An easy conversation flowed between them – mainly on Luisa’s end as she listed off the great numeral of things Teresa _just had to see_.

“Oh! If you’re ever in west Algarve there’s a sea cave that you can get to by kayak,” Luisa eyes brightened, “I used to go there in the mornings – around 5am when the sun was first coming up,” she tilted her head and looked up as if reliving the memory, “because there were no other people then you see – but the way the sun reflected off of those big rocks was one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen in my lifetime,” she smiled, “It was also where he proposed.” Luisa thumbed Warren in the side.

Teresa smiled at the story, obviously the pair were still very much in love. Her mind drifted to wonderous thoughts whether she herself would ever be that in love with someone. She came close once she thought, with Guero. In a way he rescued her, and for that she would always be grateful, but one day he just walked out. No word, no nothing. He just left. Teresa didn’t know whether to be mad or heartbroken but settled for an unhealthy combination of both – throwing herself into her work. She got promoted from sales to accounts manager in only 6 months of her social life purge; so at least him leaving had been good for something.

Teresa slipped back into a light sleep, but not before making a mental note to visit that beach, to experience for herself the array of colours.

 

~*~

A gentle nudge on her shoulder startled Teresa awake, she turned to her left and opened her eyes slowly.

“Sorry for waking you hun, but we’re here!” Luisa was beaming with excitement.

Teresa’s eyes snapped open, now wide awake as she peered out the window to view her surroundings. The only thing that could be seen so far was the airport, though much similar to other airports, this one was different and therefore spectacular.

They disembarked the plane and headed for the luggage carousel, Luisa slipping a “Hope you enjoy your holiday!” before pattering off with her husband to the rental cars.

The bus ride to Albufeira was short compared to her previous journey, and gave Teresa a chance to soak in her environment. Everything about this place was stunning – from the pastel houses with orange rooves, to the cobblestone streets, tram service, beaches, gothic buildings and overall lively atmosphere. Oh, she was definitely going to ride that tram later; it was small and a vibrant yellow, with a bell that chimed at each stop.

Somewhen along the way she dozed off, a bump in the road jolting her awake when her head collided with the window. “Ouch,” she breathed out of habit, and rubbed the side of her head. Teresa blinked in disbelief that she was actually there as the beginnings of the resort came into view – a large multilevel building, white with the occasional blue trim and stone tiled pathways adorned with square hedges in white planters. Wow. Everything looked so expensive. Did they have a gardener specifically for trimming those borders? Or did they just grow like that?

Teresa thought it couldn’t get any more remarkable until she walked into the lobby. An exquisite pattern of marble lined the floor and front desk, rounded archways and an embroidered skirting around the walls and blue and orange tiles to top it off, embellishing the front desk. Everywhere she looked she saw something new. If she had her camera she would have taken a million photos by now – but alas she left it at home deciding that it was more important to be in the moment.

Teresa made quick work to dump her belongings by the door, and flopped onto the King Size bed, the soft comfort lulling her to sleep. She had plenty of time to look around the suite later, but for now a deep slumber was calling to her.

 

~*~

Sunlight poured into Teresa’s room, the glare forcing her to wake. She rubbed her hands over her eyes and stretched her body at length. That had been the best sleep she’d had in a while. The bed was so comfortable Teresa almost hesitated to retract herself from its warmth. Almost. She rushed to the window and parted the curtains to reveal a view of the ocean, the salty air wisping through her chocolate brown hair.

The resort café had an assortment of pastries and fresh fruit to Teresa’s delight – she could really eat like this every day. They certainly didn’t have food like that back home. She felt like a queen. The pastry was crisp and buttery and it melted in her mouth while the fruit was fresh and sweet with hints of tart. Gaining weight on this holiday was definitely an easy feat.

Teresa wore her white one-piece and a floral coverup, paired with a floppy hat and sunglasses. The ocean was calling her. She made her way to the beach, a towel tucked under her arm and a bag over her shoulder, hoping to snag a spot before it became too busy. The water was beautifully blue, melding with the morning sky and the sand was warm and slipped between her toes as her weight shifted. Was sand always this white? Lost in her own little world, Teresa nearly walked head first into someone jogging past.

Shit. She quickly sidestepped and issued an apology as an afterthought as her eyes traced over the man, the distance between them increasing. He was hot. Short dark brown hair and muscles that tensed with his running pace. Teresa was almost sad to watch him go and wondered whether he was local, because that meant he may come back again.

She laid in the sand under a tree and read her book, the sounds of the multiplying people fading to the background with the rustling of the leaves above her. Her mind wandered back to that man every now and then – was everyone in Portugal that attractive? God, she hoped so. It had been a while since she had a man in her life – not since Guero. She was too focussed on work to get caught up in that kind of nonsense. But now, now she was free and on holiday and ready to flow with the pace of the world around her.

Over the next few days, Teresa decided to make the best of what the resort had to offer – mainly the spa facilities. From facials, to massages to mud baths, Teresa dabbled in everything; wanting to enjoy her relaxation to the utmost before starting the volume of touring she had planned. This was the life. Eating cucumbers while her feet were massaged, Teresa couldn’t think of a better day in.

Teresa learned all the staff by name and they knew her just the same. Well, she was there often enough. She was refreshed and clear headed, something she wasn’t for a long time; all the tension from her muscles having dissipated. Her skin was rejuvenated and soft to the touch – and her pores. She swore they had shrunk. There must be some miracle elixir in these treatments or something.

What helped with her relaxation was the clean, salty air; Teresa spent her mornings at the beach, soaking in the sunlight and keeping an eye out for that handsome stranger. To her enjoyment he ran past every morning, smiling at her when they crossed paths. Just that single moment of contact sending a rush of butterflies through her system. Yeah. Portugal was definitely the right choice.

On her fourth night, for a change of pace she decided to head out in search of the nightlife. The strip was bursting with energy, neon signs and people hopping through the plethora of clubs, bars and eateries that spanned 3km. Teresa had only planned to stay for an hour or two, not wanting to be hungover when she made the trip to the hidden beach early the following morning, though the atmosphere was enticing to stay longer. She could feel the thumping of music in her bones as she walked into Wild & Co. It was a showbar with a retro feeling – the bar was a glossed red, the same colour as the car painted behind the neon sign, trimmed with white edges and black barstools accompanied by a live band. Certainly, didn’t see that every day.

The bartender wore a top hat and vest, and proceeded to demonstrate a display of bottle twirling and tricks, a novelty she supposed to this bar in particular. Teresa grabbed a random cocktail from the outrageously showy man and swooped over to a table just as a couple were leaving. The mix of alcohol and live music was a welcome feeling, the upbeat attitude making her want to dance. She downed what was left of her drink and headed for the dance floor. It was time to get her party on.

There wasn’t that many people dancing as of yet, but once the beat kicked up a hoard of patrons rushed through the door, drunkenly arm-linked and singing their own tune. Teresa laughed at their elated nature and somehow managed to mesh with their cluster as they rocked the dancefloor. It was so much fun. She wasn’t thinking about clients or numbers or any paperwork at all, her mind was blank as she swayed with the music; one of the rowdy girls placed her arm across Teresa’s shoulders and they spun around until Teresa couldn’t see straight. The rhythm took her soul to another dimension as her body got lost in the swirl of music. She giggled along with them, feeling one with the sparkling cohort.

Teresa caught her breath between songs, swallowed dryly and headed for the bar. She was parched. Tequila or water? Decisions, decisions. A surly man cut her off just as she reached the beacon of red, his arm leaning on the bar opening himself to her. Teresa rolled her eyes. Here we go. Just as she was enjoying herself too.

“Hey. I was watching you dance over there and you’ve got a nice rhythm, though I think we could be more harmonious together,” he hung on the last note and gave a playboyish smile if she’d ever seen one.

“No thank you, I’m good,” Teresa dismissed him quickly, hoping he would leave.

“Come on girl, just wait ‘til you see my moves. You will be begging for more,” he gestured his hand out and rolled his hips in time with the music. Why was it even when you said no, guys didn’t understand? What was so hard about the word “no”?

“No. I’m good, really.” Teresa turned away from him and tried to grab the bartender’s attention.

A rough hand clenched around her arm, forcing her to turn back, “Now hang on a second-” He was cut off by another hand forcing his off Teresa, a relieved sigh exiting her lips. Thank god.

“I’m pretty sure she said no,” the mysterious man, clad in a leather jacket, stood in between her and the annoyance. The man was taken aback and counted his losses, turning back to a table of drunk idiots laughing at their friend’s rejection.

“Thank you, but I had that handled,” Teresa spoke, eyes fierce. This better not be another creep.

The man turned around, “I’m sure you did.” His voice was sincere, not even an ounce of patronisation in his tone.

Teresa locked eyes with his light brown orbs and completely lost herself in them. She didn’t quite recognise him at first, not without his aviators; the spotty lighting in the bar also was not helping. However, when the sides of his mouth upturned in her direction the rush of butterflies were no mistake – it was the handsome jogger. The coincidence baffled Teresa. Like, what were the odds of her running into him here? She wasn’t going to question any reason, but enjoyed the fact that it happened.

“Hey I know you,” a pang of recognition in his voice, “from the resort.” Teresa blushed. He remembered her?

“You want to dance?” he asked and held out his hand. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She wasn’t sure whether it was the unseemingly strong alcohol or the present company that caused her chest to pound but she took his hand; doing a quick tequila shot before bopping onto the dancefloor.

There were ladies in costumes dancing on the bench, the crowd raucously cheering and jumping along with the beat. She swayed her body in time with his, his hands running over her back, sending shivers down her spine. She danced with him for what felt like hours, every moment with him being drawn out as she was enticed further. Teresa moved in closer and grazed her lips past his before turning around and grinding against him. He growled low and hungry – she wanted to tease him a little. Not drawing it out any longer, he grabbed her arm and spun her around and crashed his lips onto hers. Teresa’s mind went blank. The kiss was so encapsulating that the rest of the world faded around her; only focusing on the handsome stranger before her and the feel of his soft lips melting with hers. He nibbled on her bottom lip and deepened the kiss. Teresa’s body was on fire – every where he touched burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. He held the small of her back and pressed their bodies closer as she ran her fingers through his dark brown locks. She was utterly satiated. If Teresa wasn’t careful she would get completely lost in his infatuating energy.

She broke the kiss, gasping for air and resumed gyrating against him.

“You want to take this party elsewhere?” he whispered in her ear, his gravelly voice melting her inside.

Teresa raked her eyes over his, “I would love to but I have early plans tomorrow. And I have a feeling if I left with you I wouldn’t be getting any sleep.” She smirked at him, “Maybe next time.” There was no doubt in her mind she’d see him again. She gave him one last intense kiss as the song ended and turned to leave.

His hand reached out, “Can I get your name at least?”

“It’s Teresa.”

“Teresa,” the way he pronounced her name made her run her bottom lip between her teeth. She swung her hips as she made her exit, knowing that his gaze was still following her.

 

~*~

The ring of the courtesy call woke Teresa to the early morning. It was still dark outside, not even the birds awake yet. Teresa scrunched her eyes in excitement as she relived the previous night. Did that really happen? It was so unlike her to be flirty, let alone make out with a stranger. The pounding of her heart hadn’t stopped since she said goodbye last night in anticipation of the next time she’d see him. There was something about the way his hair curled and the feel of his rough hands on her body that drove her crazy. And his voice. Oh my god his voice was as soothing as honey with a small rasp that could melt the coldest of icebergs.

However, it was time to get up if she wanted to reach that cove before anyone else that morning. Teresa peeled her mind back to reality and grabbed a shower.

She headed for the kiosk by the shore to hire a kayak – she had learnt the previous day where to find them from Leonor, the spa receptionist, along with precise directions – she couldn’t miss it if she tried. The ocean was serene. It was peaceful that time of morning. Why wasn’t everyone up this early? The water had a slight chill as she waded her way through the Atlantic Ocean along the limestone cliffs until she happened upon a large opening. “This must be it,” she dragged her boat onto the shore, the sun barely kissing the horizon at this point – though still enough light for her to navigate the open waters. The sky was hues of grey, pink and orange blended together, not yet blue from the day to come.

Wow. The domed cave was larger than expected, with fine golden sand cleaned by the translucent water. It was as beautiful as Luisa had said. There was a hole in the rounded roof that let streams of golden light flow through, refracting an array of colours off the limestone. The whole scenery before her could only be described as magical. Teresa stood underneath the opening as the sun rose, basking in its warmth when she heard a splash. She looked out in anticipation of a dolphin but to her surprise she saw the toned back of a male staring off into the distance. She hadn’t noticed the other kayak on the other side of the cave. There was someone else there.

She would’ve regretting staying out longer than anticipated the night before had it not been for that chance encounter with – hang on. She didn’t know what to call him. She did get his name, right? Teresa wracked her brain for each conversation, or lack thereof, sending a heat rippling through her. She hadn’t asked for his name. Oh my god.

She was snapped out of her intense thinking when he dove into the water and emerged closer to the shore. She admired his definition, her eyebrows creased together as she strained to see into the distance. Wait a second. The man turned around to face her – they were both stunned.

“Teresa?” he called out. The way he stressed the ‘a’ in her name, there was no mistaking it. It was the same guy. How did this keep happening? Whatever gods there may be must be smiling down on her. A rush of nerves coursed her system as he made his way over, Teresa meeting him in the middle.

“I didn’t expect to see you here – or anyone for that matter,” his eyes were wide with amazement.

“I guess that makes two of us,” Teresa chuckled along with him. The water trickled over the lines of his body, his boardshorts clinging to his thighs. It was hard not to stare.

“It’s a happy coincidence wouldn’t you say?” he asked moving closer.

“I’d say so,” she smiled at him, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“What’s your name?” she was a little embarrassed she hadn’t asked before.

He chuckled under his breath, “James.” _James_. She was definitely committing that to memory.

They laid in the sand side-by-side and stared up at the gaping ceiling, watching the light change as the sun grew higher in the sky. The iridescence of the of the hidden beach paled in comparison to observing the light skim over his features, Teresa knew she was lost to the world. The growing feeling in her chest could not be quashed the more time she spent with him.

They had been there for a couple hours, mindlessly talking and swimming before they caught a glimpse of more people inbound.

“Hey, do you want check out the markets with me?” James enquired.

“Yes.” That was a no-brainer.

They spent the whole day together, walking up and down the markets, laughing hand in hand, sampling the local cuisine along the way. Teresa bartered her way to a new tote bag, to carry all the souvenirs she bought. This was the most fun she’d ever had. Even only being acquainted with James for a couple days, she felt so comfortable as if she had known him her whole life. Maybe it was the holiday influence? People always said vacations heightened emotions. So maybe she wasn’t entirely herself by standards sake but she felt so alive she couldn’t get herself to care. She would spend as long as she could in this hazy bubble of blossoming joy. The day faded to black and they headed back to the resort, to dine in the restaurant.

Their night was as passionate as the ocean was deep; enough to consume her soul so that the only thing left was the raw feeling of their flesh melting together. Their naked bodies pressed together; the birds singing aloud the bliss she felt in her heart.

 

~*~

They spent the rest of the next two and a half weeks virtually inseparable. The first week exploring and touring during the day and ravishing each other by night. The roman artefacts and Italian paintings of the municipal museum were a fascinating sight – but Teresa still preferred the numerous beaches scattering the shore line.

James took her back up to Lisbon for a two-day visit so she could ride the yellow tram and sample the cuisine specialised in that area. Teresa smiled at the chime of the bell, James interlocking their fingers as their bodies swayed with the rail. She gave his had a squeeze, trying to portray just the way he made her feel – like she could explode right now but it wouldn’t matter because he was there with her. She was learning so many things about him, his little quirks and the way he scrunched his nose and much more intimate details like how to make him cum so hard he couldn’t move. Her face flushed beet red and he leaned down giving her a peck on the lips.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered against her skin. Butterflies ran rampant in her stomach so fiercely she couldn’t contain them even if the world was a giant glass jar and she was a bug on a stray leaf. This was where she was meant to be. With him. With James. And as far as she could tell, he felt the same. Her mind refused to think what would happen when her holiday was over. Would she still be able to see him? She pushed those thoughts aside.

The second week they spent mostly at the resort. Or in bed. Teresa didn’t mind. They switched between rooms, James being on a lower level closer to the pool for midnight mischief.

“We should get some fresh pineapples,” Teresa suggested, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“The produce market is only open on Saturdays,” he informed her, “Can you wait a few more days?” she nodded and dragged him to their scheduled couples massage.

They made out in every conceivable location – the hot tub, pool, balcony. Each time he looked at her Teresa lost herself a little bit more.

They watched the sun set over the water, huddled on a lawn chair, Teresa tucked into his side.

“I’m so glad I met you,” she smiled up at him. James tightened his grip on her waist and brought his other hand to her cheek pulling her mouth onto his for a quick, sensual kiss. “Me too.”

She rested her head on his chest and drew patterns with her finger.

The end of her holiday was fast approaching but she wasn’t ready to leave. She had fallen for him. _Hard_. She couldn’t even comprehend the amount she grew to care for him and she knew he felt the same.

“I leave tomorrow,” Teresa let out unintentionally. She was internally kicking herself. She wasn’t ready for that conversation. What if she just called work and said she was taking more time off? No that wouldn’t work. She had already taken an extra week, there was no possible way they’d give her another. There was work to do but she wasn’t ready to do it just yet.

“Let’s not talk about that,” James rubbed her side. Clearly, he wasn’t ready either.

Compared to the copious amounts of passionate sex they had been having, this time was slow and intimate. He looked her in the eyes as she came undone around him, needing to preserve every detail of her in his brain. They slept with their naked bodies tangled together surrounded by amass of pillows.

Saturday. James was the first to rise, and planted a kiss on her forehead while he watched her sleep. She seemed so peaceful. Teresa was the most beautiful thing James had encountered and he almost couldn’t bare to part with her. He trailed his finger over the side of her face, careful not to wake her up as she rolled over. He slipped out of bed, leaving a note on the mantle, grabbed his bag and headed for the door. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered softly.

A gust of wind from the open window blew the paper onto the floor.

Teresa awoke to an empty bed. She skimmed her fingers over the duvet, triple checking he wasn’t hidden beneath them. Oh god. She looked around the room tears welling in her eyes. All of his things were gone. A nagging feeling stabbed her deep in the gut as she got out of bed. Rushing past the mantle, the draft from her dressing gown flicked the note under the bed. He wasn’t in the bathroom. Nothing. He was gone. Was this really happening to her again? The tears threatened to fall. Maybe he couldn’t handle saying goodbye? No. That was crap. He had wimped out and taken the easy exit. At that moment her heart broke. The feeling of abandonment all too familiar to her.

She rushed packing her bags and checked out, catching the earlier bus to the airport. That was the only problem with falling in love with a stranger on holiday – her brain didn’t have time to catch up. Because in the blink of an eye, it was over. And it’s that much harder crashing back into reality.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took a minute! sometimes that's just how life be

The melancholy overwhelmed the beauty of the fresh morning air, the bustling markets failing to lift his spirits. The last day had come. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. Nothing made him happier than waking up with her by his side. God was she beautiful. His heart hammered just thinking about her. Even if it was her last morning there, he was going to make the best of it.

James walked the isles of the stone street, weaving between the stalls until he found what he was looking for: the tall, prickly fruit. His mind wandered back to their previous conversation – the juicy yellow flesh at the forefront of her mind. He chuckled to himself. She was definitely a girl who knew what she wanted and he loved that. The vast selection of fruits before him were vibrant and sweet and reminded him of Teresa. He had to get them. James bought papayas, pomegranates and plums, and of course pineapples. He loaded them into his bag, a smile on his face. If she had to go, then he was going to make her last breakfast a cornucopia of produce of epic proportions.

James did not dawdle on his way back to her, he had hoped she’d still be sleeping so he could surprise her. A smile was plastered on his face, his sunglasses hiding the twinkle in his eye as he watched the passing scenery back to the resort. He rushed towards the elevator and slipped between the doors just as they were shutting. She was going to be so surprised. He played out the scenario in his head: he’d come back to the room and kiss her awake and lead her to the table where he’d displayed the wealth of fruit with an extravagant flare – well as best as he could manage. She’d be so happy that she’d run into his arms, wrapping her legs around his frame and squeezing him with excitement. Then they would have sex. Lot’s and lots of sex. The fruit being used for energy between sessions. Okay maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself but there was no harm in imagining. As long as she was happy, he didn’t much care if they spent the rest of the morning watching tv.

The elevator dinged and he strode over to her room, his pace quickening the closer he got. He reached for the handle, aiming to turn it slowly so as to not wake his sleeping beauty. The handle moved about a centimetre then stopped. What? He tried again. No luck. “Oh, key card, right.” In his excitement he had forgotten. James reached into his back pocket and pulled out the plastic rectangle and pushed it into the lock.  _Bzzzzzzz_. The light flashed red. Huh? James retracted the card and pushed it in again. _Bzzzzzzz_. Still red. What was going on? Guess the surprise was going to be ruined. He banged on the door, “Teresa, it’s me! Let me in.” There was no response. The pounds of his heart morphed from excitement to anxiety. Had something happened to her?

James hurried down to the front desk and leaned on the marble counter.

“May I help you?” the receptionist asked.

“Yes, uh room 307. I can’t get in – I think my key card is busted.”

“Okay, let me just check the system so we can issue you a new card,” she typed away for a few seconds, her eyebrows creased together, “It says here the room is unoccupied.”

His heart sank. No, he shouldn’t panic until he knew what was going on. “What are you talking about? The room is under Teresa Mendoza. Can you check again?”

“Of course.”

The next minute of his life was painstakingly slow. James bit his gum and took steady breaths to calm himself, though all the calm in the world couldn’t control his tapping hand.  

“I’m sorry sir, it says she checked out an hour ago.”

His breath hitched. What?

 

~*~

The plane was almost as turbulent as her emotions – the constant movement agitated her mind, and her bladder. Teresa took deep, slow breaths and moved towards the cabin bathroom when a familiar voice called behind her.

“Goodness! Teresa, is that you?” Oh god. It was Luisa. Just about the last person she wanted to see right now. She could tell by the tone of her voice that her anniversary vacation had went well, she was practically exploding with happiness with which Teresa was in no mood to deal with right now.

Teresa steeled herself and turned around, a pleasant smile on her face not quite reaching her eyes.

“Luisa, hey.”

“What a happy coincidence! So darlin’ wasn’t it just everything you were hoping for?” she leaned against the back of her seat, “Did you go to that beach? I hope you did! It’s magical, I swear –” Luisa stopped abruptly when she saw a single tear run down Teresa’s cheek.

“Oh honey! What happened?” concern plastered on the kind woman’s face.

“Sorry,” Teresa wiped the tear away as quick as it fell, “It’s nothing. The air conditioning in aeroplanes always irritate my eyes,” she let out a half-hearted chuckle urging Luisa not to poke further. Teresa could tell she wasn’t buying it so decided to switch the topic, “The beach was beautiful, thank you for telling me.” An image of James’ half naked body lying in the sand flashed through her mind – a single drop of water sliding over the bumps and crevasses of his toned frame.  She cut off the conversation there, unable to contain her emotions for a minute longer.

She rushed into the tiny room – both hands snapping over her eyes as she keeled over. Her mind was racing a million miles and sifted through every conversation she had with him. There weren’t any warning signs were there? Maybe it was just her destiny or whatever to be abandoned. Maybe that was all she was good for. Teresa was thankful her sobs were muffled by the whir of the engine.

No. This was no place to lose her shit. A hysterical Mexican on a plane – they’d probably detain her. But a good minute of tears and an empty bladder helped to restore her sanity. She was still mad, sad and confused but the load was light enough now to contain. Teresa splashed cold water on her face several times and patted it dry with some paper towels.

Teresa looked at her face in the mirror – eyes slightly swollen and reddening. The cold water helped though, just enough so any passer by wouldn’t suspect anything other than insomnia. She hardened her exterior and exited the stall, swiftly moving past Luisa to avoid any more conversation and promptly sat in her assigned seat.

Teresa placed sunglasses over her eyes and leant against the window, the rippling waves of the ocean below her reminded her of him – fierce yet soft. A dull pit settled low in her stomach; empty, like something was missing. Like a part of _her_ was missing. This tiny void stemming from her childhood, somehow James managed to fill it. But now. God now it was back, and bigger than ever. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes but she pushed that emotion back down. When she got home she could cry all she wanted but for now, a public, enclosed space with many wandering eyes, was no place to break down.

The second the wheels touched down onto the tarmac a wave of relief washed over her. Teresa hurriedly collected her belongings and made sure to grab a bottle or two of tequila on her way home.  

 

~*~

Home was a contemporary two-story house, painted white with large windows and stone accents matching the steps to the front door. She had only moved there recently; upgrading from her shitty one room apartment after saving up for the better part of half a decade. It was a nice place, and instantly felt like home the second she turned her keys in the lock. The hard-wooden floors lead off to the brightly lit kitchen across from the dining / living area and the stairway placed off-centre to the front door, the crafted banister warming the houses appeal. She finally had a large bedroom with a king size bed – Teresa had wanted one forever and at last had the opportunity to splurge. There were two other rooms on the level, one being used for guests and the other a study, though it mainly just accumulated bits and bobs.

Only a few hours remaining of her Saturday, Teresa couldn’t bring herself to do anything other than flop onto her bed and sleep, her sore eyes and heavy lids overpowering any exertion left to cry.

Music was blasting through the speakers, the soundwaves managing to quiet the thoughts in her head – though it could also be the copious amounts of alcohol coursing through her system. Teresa waded through her suitcase sorting her clothes into whites and colours. Unpacking hadn’t really been her plan for Sunday but at least it took her mind off the events from the last few weeks.

Teresa took another swig of tequila, the clear liquid burning the back of her throat, as she dumped a load of laundry into the washing machine. It would be an hour until her clothes were done, which gave her ample time for other matters, like finding a decent meal. She couldn’t remember, or didn’t want to, the last time she had a proper, hot meal. Too long probably by the way her stomach was growling. The only positive about an empty stomach was the enate ability to get drunk quicker, though Teresa wanted the swirling of her mind to continue into the night and opted to order some Thai.    

While waiting for her food, Teresa rummaged around her luggage and put away all her toiletries – the only thing now left in the suitcase was her tote bag. She had refused to touch it until now, the organic cotton canvas with a stencilled design, practically oozed memories of him. The bag was filled with souvenirs, some of which for Brenda and Tony, from their stroll through the markets. Teresa took a deep breath; there was no point delaying the inevitable. She emptied its contents onto her embroidered cotton duvet.

A shine caught Teresa’s eye, the metal refracting the ceiling light. Why did that have to be the first thing she saw? She reached out and picked up the keyring, cradling it in the palm of her hand. The memories were instantly sobering. It was from that day – their first day together. Giggling in the sand and splashing in the water surrounded in their own little magical world. She did not blubber but the tears poured out anyway. She felt hollow as tear after tear escaped and stained the top of her old t-shirt.

_“I bought this for you,” his smiled crinkled his eyes; a sky full of stars was no comparison to his glow. He dangled the metal keyring in front of her, a cartoon pineapple colouring the front. Teresa couldn’t remember the last time someone had bought her a gift just for the sake of it. The gesture almost moved her to tears as she graciously accepted._

_“Thank you,” she smiled at him, “I love it.”_

_James slung his arm around her shoulder, “I’m glad. Because I got one to match.” He showed her his half of the pair, the softness of the gesture not lost on her._

Any remnants of Teresa’s façade had now cracked and fallen away. Her bottom lip quivered as her eyebrows creased together and she closed her eyes, the memory all too much. She clenched her hand shut and squeezed the metal object almost hard enough to draw blood. What was she going to do with this? Tossing it into the ocean could be cathartic, or a lake or river – just any body of water really. Teresa unclenched her hand; a deepening red outline traced her palm. Would throwing it away also mean discarding a piece of herself with it? The happy and relaxed part of her she missed so much? She couldn’t stand to look at it but it’d hurt too much to dispose of it. At a loss of what to do, Teresa chucked it into her old wooden jewellery box on her nightstand and slammed the lid shut. As if symbolising the end of a chapter in her life. A chapter that she wasn’t ready to be over yet.

Teresa turned the stereo volume down to low, the weight of the music, the memories, the hunger and the fading alcohol giving her a headache. Her mind needed a break. Just as her tears dried up, Teresa was caught off-guard by the doorbell. Must be the Thai food guy. She was in no state to be seen by the world but what could she do. She had to eat.

Teresa traipsed downstairs to get the door, wallet in hand. The boy who could be no older than 18 didn’t look up until he had read out the order.

“Yeah that’s mine,” her voice was raspy but legible. Slight panic arose from the boy when he locked eyes with Teresa but she handed him the money and shut the door before he tried to offer any words of comfort.

The ding of the washing machine rang through the house, Teresa choosing to ignore it in favour of food. She made the executive decision to open another bottle of tequila, forsaking the already opened one upstairs. Her reasoning being to conserve energy. Though energy for what she had no clue. All she knew was that the couch was soft and she had her food, movies and alcohol.

Teresa kicked her feet onto the coffee table and decided to drown her sorrows in sappy romance movies.

 

~*~

Ugh. She felt terrible. Her head was pounding and the room was spinning, sunglasses only partially helping with the glare. It was a bad idea to drink as much as she did last night – and go to sleep just as late. Three back to back movies was not the right choice. Plus, she had forgotten about her laundry and had to run the load again this morning, barely giving her enough time to eat breakfast, which she had to choke down through the nausea.

The train ride to work was long, the rocking of the carriage making her queasy. “Please let this day go quickly,” she mumbled to herself, getting a weird side glance from the passenger next to her.

She stopped by the café outside the station and picked up two black coffees with separate sugar packets before making her way through the glass doors of her workplace.  

The fifth floor was her first stop – HR. She walked passed the cubicles and around the corner where she found the large man standing by the printer cursing in Spanish and whacking the sides of the bulky device. His slicked back hair and moustache were the same, Teresa was even sure he was wearing the exact button down as when she last saw him a month ago. This was the norm – the familiar face a sedative to her aching system. Maybe she could settle back into the routine of things and never have to think about that overwhelmingly beautiful guy again.

The man looked up noticing her presence, “You look like hell Teresita,” Pote said, a slight chuckle to his gravelly voice.

“I feel like it too,” she replied, handing him the coffee, “Here.”

“You should probably lay off the tequila,” he joked with and undertone of seriousness before taking a sip.

“Just drink your coffee,” she smiled at him and offered a couple of the sugar packets.

Pote slapped his middle, “I’m good. I’m trying to lay off the sugar.”

“Since when?”

“About a week ago.”

“Good for you.” She was glad for her friend; the many past failed diets clearly not shaking his resolve.

“How was your holiday?” he inquired.

“Yeah alright. Not as relaxing as I thought it’d be.” It wasn’t exactly a lie – it was relaxing while living through it but the hindsight of the matter only caused stress and pain.

“That’s because workaholics like you don’t know the meaning of downtime,” Pote let out a proud snigger.

She grinned at his attempted joke, “Anything interesting happen while I was away?”

“Not really, Renee from your department quit so we’re interviewing for some fresh blood.”

Renee had only started working there a few months before Teresa went on leave, the only thing Teresa knew about her was that she loved to gossip, “She quit? Do you know why?”

“Not sure, messy divorce or something,” Pote shrugged.

“Well she was always a little flighty.” Teresa pat the man on the shoulder, “I’ll see you later okay.”

He waved her off, sneaking a packet of sugar into his drink when she was out of sight.

The rest of her day was a combination of her co-workers asking about her holiday, many of which suspected she was partying last night and made cleverly timed puns here and there, and chasing down her regular customers negotiating business. Brenda was out that day running errands, but Teresa didn’t mind the absence of her friend having already scheduled dinner with her later.

Her work day passed as quick as she hoped, napping through lunch after popping some Panadol, only waking up when her meeting reminder dinged from her computer. Before she knew it, she was on the train home to pick up the souvenirs before heading to Brenda’s.  

 

~*~

“You got a tan!” Brenda exclaimed excitedly, the first words from her childhood friend setting the tone for the evening. Not even letting Teresa enter the single-story house before bombarding her with questions, “How are you? What were the beaches like? Did you try the local cuisine? Because I was looking it up online and there’s so much to try there – and the food markets! Were they busy? Thank god you didn’t go in peak season right. Ooh what about the resort? Was your room huge? I bet it was amazing with a view of the ocean and a beautiful balcony. I hope you went out, the nightlife there is famous. And you know get a little action,” she winked at Teresa, barely catching her breath before erratic thuds came bounding through the house.

“Teresa, Teresa! You’re back!” the child eagerly crashed into her being, pushing her back slightly as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

“Tony, how are you?” she ran her hand over his hair and gave him a tight hug, “I missed you.”

He looked up at her with a toothy grin, “Good. I won my soccer game on Friday!”

“That’s amazing,” Teresa replied.

“He was in the whole last half as well, the team is finally recognising what talent is,” Brenda butt in, proud of her child. It had been a few months since Teresa last saw Tony play, maybe she would go next time.

“Want to see what I bought for you?” Teresa asked, remembering her bag of goodies.

Brenda gave her a look, raising her eyebrow, “That better not be candy!”

Teresa giggled and gave tony a hand-carved wooden snake, sneaking him a packet of sugar coated almonds and Regina chocolate with her finger to her lips, “Shhh. Don’t tell your mum.” The boy beamed a gleeful grin and gave her another hug, thanking Teresa quietly.

“I heard that!” Brenda called as Tony ran over to the living room to resume playing with his videogames, sneaking some sugary treats.

“You shouldn’t give him sugar before dinner, or he won’t eat,” Brenda complained, nudging her friend.

“He’ll be fine. He’s a good kid,” Teresa looked over Brenda’s shoulder, “You’ll eat all your dinner, right?”

Tony nodded half-heartedly, his attention already being consumed by the flashing screen.

“You spoil him,” Brenda sighed, moving out of the way to let Teresa into the house.

“I know,” she smiled and headed for the kitchen.

“So what’d you get for me?” Brenda enquired, an eagerness to her tone. Teresa pulled out a pair of earrings, the intricate golden metal weaved in spirals with a flower adorning the crest.

“Oh my god they’re beautiful!” Brenda grabbed the earrings and placed them in straight away, using the microwave as a mirror. “Thank you,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around Teresa’s shoulders.

Brenda parted their bodies, hands still on Teresa’s shoulders and peered over to her child on the couch – headphones on and fully engrossed in the game – and looked Teresa straight in the eye, “So… did you get a little… something something?” Brenda shimmied at her friend, laughing wide while raising her eyebrows periodically.

A blush crept over Teresa’s cheeks which solemnly dissipated as the blood drained from her face and headed for her furiously pounding heart. “Well,” Teresa started, unsure of what to tell her. It was true she did get some, but it was more than that. Saying that it was an empty encounter would be an insult to everything that happened – everything that she’s going through. But should she tell Brenda about him? That just the thought of him stings her heart and grows a lump in her throat? All of the good memories were forsaken through the unforgiving sense of abandonment that filled her every waking moment? God… what would she say? Probably some light-hearted comparison to Guero, with no ill intentions, but an unrelenting gut punch nonetheless.

Teresa pulled ingredients from the fridge and dropped her head to hide her expression, as she placed the vegetables on the granite counter. She grabbed a knife and cutting board and began to cube the tomatoes. Brenda took her silence as affirmation of an encounter, “Oh my god you did! What’d he look like? Was it a one-night stand? Was it good?” Brenda drew closer, keen for details of a scandalous rendezvous which she could vicariously live through.

“Shit,” Teresa mumbled, the burgeoning bubble of red streaming down her finger. She brought the digit to her mouth and sucked; the onslaught of questions had startled her focus.

“Are you okay?” Brenda asked, “You still got holiday brain or something?” She shoved Teresa aside, waving her over to the sink and continued the cut the vegetables herself.

“Yeah it must be that,” Teresa ran her finger under some cold water, the injury bringing some semblance of sanity back to her. She placed a band aid over her finger and grabbed a glove from the cupboard under the sink and resumed preparing for their meal.

“So?” Brenda started, “Did you get some or what?”

Teresa expression sank as if she’d been doused with cold water, a stinging shiver shot up her spine. There was no escaping this line of questioning.

“What’s that look for? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Brenda drew more concerned for her friend and placed a hand on her arm.

Teresa cupped her hands over her mouth as the tears poured out one by one until a whole dam worth of liquid drenched her shirt as she fell into Brenda’s embrace.

“Oh honey,” Brenda stroked her hair and rubbed circles on her back. Teresa proceeded to tell her everything that had happened – down to the very last detail.

 “You know I meant bang a hot guy, not fall in love with one, right? Haven’t you watched any of those white people movies? Don’t you wonder why all the vacation romances end when they get together? It’s because it’s all crap. Holiday romances never work – the second they’re tested with anything real they crumble. You will get over this.” Brenda’s words were not as comforting as she had intended them to be, though she did have a point. Teresa had only known him for two weeks; hell, they were going to have to part anyway, but it was the tiny fluttering in her chest that she thought had been extinguished long ago that made all rational decisions fly out the window; if she didn’t hold on to it, it would be gone forever. But she had no way of knowing it would be this painful. If given the opportunity to redo her holiday, Teresa had no idea what she would do.

She doubled breathed before wiping under her eyes with the corners of her sleeve, “We should really finish cooking.”

“You’re right,” Brenda grinned and held up a stick blender, “How many vegetables do you think we can hide before Tony notices?”

Teresa laughed and looked over at the child, “Guess we’ll have to find out.”

Brenda nudged Teresa with her hip and took her place stirring the pasta sauce, “Don’t expect this to be some telenovela either where he magically appears back in your life, only it’s not him but a hotter twin brother, and then you’re stuck in some twisted love triangle until one fateful day that they’re both at the café and it’s pouring outside and you’ve just ran 5 blocks to get there because your car broke down and they’re telling you that you have to choose – ” Teresa giggled and grabbed back the spoon, pushing Brenda out of the way, stopping her before her imagined drama got anymore intricate.

The happiness of that moment was her first genuine emotion other than that little niggle inside of her. Teresa felt grateful to Brenda, somehow someway she always made everything better; even if she made it worse to begin with. The rest of the night went smoothly without any issue, Tony didn’t notice any of the many, many vegetables hidden within the blended sauce to their victory, and the conversation flowed naturally, no longer approaching the topic of her holiday but instead focussing on the events in Tony’s and Brenda’s lives.  Teresa was finally feeling okay, that was until she was back in the sanctity of her home that the crushing reality of her loneliness became all too apparent, hitting her like a 10-tonne truck.

 

~*~

Over the next month Teresa had sunk into a slump of depression and in an effort to lighten the mood, Kelly Anne invited her out for drinks. They had met 5 years ago, almost to the day, when Kelly Anne had just dumped her cheating boyfriend and decidedly got heavily drunk at the bar – which only seemed fitting to be accompanying Teresa now amidst her own romantic crisis. She was the perfect go-to person to forget any troubles and focus on something else; namely getting liquored up and dancing the night away.

The bar was sticky, a layer of spilled drinks covered the hardwood, though Teresa was too inebriated to care. She waved her finger in a circle, drearily slumped over on the bar facing Kelly Anne. Two shots of tequila presented itself in front of the ladies, the first of which Teresa promptly downed, Kelly Anne grabbing the second before she could get to it. Ugh. How was it that no matter how much she drank, she didn’t feel any better? Floaty, sure. But better? Not a chance. This was hitting her worse than when Guero left – had she really loved James that much? How could she have been so stupid? It was reckless. To let her emotions run wild; she had better sense than that.

“How did I let this happen,” Teresa slurred, sloppily wiping her hair out of her face. She placed both palms in the mould of her eye sockets and wiped along her brow bone and down her face, squishing her cheeks together. It did little for her blurred vision, but somehow the motion made her feel better.

“Aw darlin’ I know you’re feeling bad right now, but it’ll pass. You were just dipping your toe in the water with that guy, and there’s a whole ocean out there just waiting for you,” Kelly Anne comforted, a hand grasp firmly on Teresa’s shoulder as she tried to maintain eye contact in their collective intoxication.

“But what if I don’t want an ocean, but this one little cove with transparent water and sparkly magical sand with a giant roof hole beam of magic light?”

“That is,” Kelly Anne blinked slowly, regressing her chin and wagging her index finger, “oddly specific.”

Another round of drinks appeared in front of them, each giving a confused look at each other before turning to the bartender.

“Compliments of the gentleman over there,” he stated, nodding his head towards the end of the bar where two men sat. One was tall with a retreating hairline, the other slightly shorter with too many buttons of his shirt open exposing his chest hair.

Kelly Anne gave an appreciative smile in their direction before quickly spinning back to Teresa, “Okay maybe not that ocean. But how about…” She scanned the room, her eyes landing of a medium build man with black hair and daring eyes, “That one,” she pointed, “He could totally be a sparkly river of some sorts.”

Teresa followed Kelly Anne’s finger and locked eyes with the man. He smiled at her, a perfect smile with perfect teeth but she felt nothing. He was handsome, sure but she wasn’t really interested in that right now.

“I think I’m just going to head off,” she said, “Are you right to get home?”

“Are you sure? We can go somewhere else if you want?” Kelly Anne replied, pulling out her phone ready to call an uber.

“I think I’ve had enough oceans. I want to stay on dry land,” Teresa responded, stumbling into a hug with her auburn-haired friend.

“Okay, if you’re sure. I think I’ll stay for a bit and be a boat captain or whatnot,” she smiled at a guy across the room just as she parted from Teresa’s embrace.

Teresa lugged through her front door and promptly dropped her keys into the bowl and flicked her shoes off to the side. She beelined for her stairs, trying to omit her surroundings. For some reason everything in her house reminded her of him, even though he had never been there. It was madness. She took the steps one by one, slowly making her way to her bathroom. Teresa left a pile of clothes by the door, the rush of water down her back from the hot shower lifted some weight from her shoulders, but not all. Unclear whether the alcohol or her state of mind caused tears to mix into the pouring water, but at least some pent-up emotion was being let out.

How could he do this? Though she was probably madder at herself for not seeing this coming. His stupid smile and bed hair flashed through her mind from one of their lazy days where they slept until noon. Did she even know how to be on her own anymore? The weight of the water tugged her curls down and stuck to her back as she let the water pour over her head. Maybe it wasn’t an ocean she needed but one of those monk waterfalls, freeing her mind from all worldly wants.

Teresa crashed onto her bed, not bothering to dry her hair before drifting to sleep.

She was crudely awakened by the muffled footsteps that grew louder with each stride.

“Alright enough of this,” Brenda yanked the duvet from over Teresa’s head and let it settle on the cold wooden floor.

“Ngh,” she groaned, the sudden loss of warmth an ill welcome surprise. “How did you even get in here?”

“You always leave your key in the same place dummy. Now get out of bed. Enough of this wallowing – you knew him what? 2 weeks? Enough is enough.” Brenda reached down to physically drag her, if necessary, out of bed.

“I don’t wanna,” Teresa whined, and pulled back, stuffing a pillow atop her face.

Brenda pulled the corner and threw it to the floor on top of the now settled duvet.

“Ugh why are you doing this,” Teresa’s head pounded from last night’s consumption.

“You have been lugging around in your PJs for weeks. When was the last time you even cleaned?” she looked around the room only to find trails of dirty clothes and food packages. “Have you even left your house other than for work, food or drinking?”

“You can actually buy groceries online now, so I don’t even have to leave for that,” Teresa grabbed her second pillow to replace the first.

“Okay that’s enough,” Brenda made sure that second pillow joined the rest of Teresa’s bedding on the floor and opened up all the curtains, the sudden brightness too harsh for Teresa’s eyes. “Did that random guy mean that much to you my god. There is no way you knew everything about him. Whatever fantasy you have made up in your head is lying to you. You went on holiday, had fun and that’s it. James was just a place holder for your next big love.”

Her harsh words stung deep, a cold weight now resting on her chest as her eyes brimmed with tears. Before Teresa could say anything, Brenda leaned down, “Look, I get that you went to this magical place or whatever and had this big romance with James, but you’re back here now in the real world and you have to move on. You knew him 2 weeks. That’s nothing compared to the rest of your life. A small blip on the radar. I have been watching you laze around for as long as you wanted but enough is enough. You need to get your ass up out of that damn bed and go back into the world.”

No matter how much she didn’t want to hear those words, she was kind of right. Though her thoughts did not match her heart, her emotions had led to her being virtually housebound for the last month and Brenda was right. It had been enough of that. There was no point spending another iota of time worrying about a man who clearly did not care for her. She was going to get through this. She’d done it before and she’ll do it again. Teresa refused to think any further about the events of those few weeks. Her life wasn’t the workings of some romance novel and it was time she stopped treating it as such. As far as she was concerned, the events of her holiday were written off as temporary insanity induced by stress.

 

The black cape was tied securely around her neck, as the crackling of foil blended with the gentle chatter of the salon. It wasn’t anything drastic, just some caramel accents and a few inches off the bottom; it was new and fresh but still enough of the same that she still recognised herself. It was time she started over and new hair was just one way of getting there. And now she needed to work even harder. If she focussed all her energy on work there was no stopping what she could achieve.

 

~*~

_4 months later_

Teresa was feeling great. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and she had finally been put in charge of handling King Industries. There was nothing that could bring down her high. Teresa whipped off her covers and sat on the edge of her bed; she hadn’t thought of him in a while – time was helping. She looked to the jewellery box and skimmed her finger over the top, leaving a streak in the settled dust.  A wave of emotion bubbled up which she pushed back down accordingly. She strode downstairs to make breakfast – a sudden thought of her grandmothers’ homemade tostadas on Sunday mornings flashed through her mind. It was a bittersweet thought – her beloved grandmother took her in and taught Teresa how to cook when her parents died. It had been a few years now since her grandmother had passed, her last remaining relative. Though with her bright smile at the forefront of her memories, there was no way she was going to feel sad. She lived a full and happy life.

The sudden nostalgia made her want to cook those tostadas that reminded her of simpler times. She looked to the fridge and pantry, disappointed she didn’t have all the ingredients. Teresa made a snap decision to go and buy them from the local grocery store down the road. She wandered the isles lost in thought, picking up ingredients and tossing them into the basket – though going shopping on an empty stomach was never the best idea as she ended up with twice as much food as she was intending to buy. She scanned the registers for the shortest line and walked over to number 3, which only had one customer in front. Score! In the midday rush no less. This was going to be a good day indeed.

Teresa looked up to the man in front, a leather jacket hung from the square of his back… wait. His hair was slightly shorter, but she knew him. Teresa’s sudden panic caused an audible intake of breath as she hurriedly turned to walk away, her heartbeat now pounding in her ears. Oh god. It couldn’t be. There was no way it could be. Teresa’s face was burning red – unconsciously holding her breath. How does she breathe again? Was breathing even possible right now?

“Teresa?” she heard call behind her. The way he stressed the ‘a’ of her name was the same. Was the feeling in her stomach butterflies or nausea? It was impossible to tell. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it may break a rib – or several. Reluctantly, she turned around. His beautiful brown orbs locked on her own, shock apparent in both their expressions.

“James?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh she finally saw him again! whats gonna happen next? ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Beads of sweat formed on his brow, his pace not nearly fast enough to cool the growing liquid, but fast enough to whip the drops from his forehead into the air. The buildings and trees were unfamiliar, but a pleasant sight to his tired eyes. James was glad to finally be out of that backwater town he grew up in, never changing, never growing – he was ready for a fresh start. His laboured breathing slowed momentarily as he bent down to pet a passing dog. Maybe today was going to be his day. He’d arrived in the city earlier the past morning only to be greeted by a locked door and an apologetic phone call from the realtor. Turned out his apartment wasn’t going to be ready for another week so James had to last minute book an air bnb to live in for the coming days, god knows what he’s going to do when the moving truck arrived. It was a quaint house made of brick on the outskirts of the city, close to a park and a shopping centre.

James decided to put aside the negativity and explore this new area that was to be his home. Cloud cover passed overhead, giving some relief from the sun, as he turned the bend and jogged in place waiting for the light to change. He lapped the block once, then headed back around the other side of the park, trying to familiarise himself with the area. The wind was rustling the leaves of the trees that lined the path, and children’s laughter and the ding of several bells chimed as three kids whizzed passed on their bikes. James was glad he opted to leave his headphones at home in order to soak up the soul of the place; there were so many noises and conversations and general life just happening all at once and it was refreshing.

The temperature suddenly shifted and James felt a single heavy droplet splash onto his nose.

“What the hell?” he said, wiped off the water and looked towards the sky. In an instant rain was pouring all around him, barely giving him enough time to take shelter by a nearby coffee shop. Definitely didn’t get surprise rainstorms back home. James was soaked head to toe, leaving a puddle of water by his feet as he stood under the awning by the glass window. Hopefully the sudden shower would be a brief one. After waiting 15 minutes the rain still hadn’t let up; James debated whether to risk it and run back to the house weather be damned, or head into the coffee shop for a hot drink. By now his clothes had partially drip-dried, enough to not cause a bother to the small shop. James shivered, licked his lips and decided to head indoors, ordering a large black coffee.  

The young barista called his name and James stood from his table, passing a quietly arguing couple before collecting his beverage. Black and bitter, just how he liked it. The cup warmed his cold hands as he made his way back to the table, but not before one half of the arguing couple collided with him, tears in her eyes shouting at her partner that she needed a break.

“Fuck!” James exclaimed as the scalding coffee tipped down his front, clinging to his clothes. “Shit shit shit!” He grabbed handfuls of napkins by the counter and rubbed over his torso and thighs. This was definitely not the way he intended to warm up.

“Oh my god I am so sorry!” the girl exclaimed, grabbing more napkins for James to use. “I’ll buy you a new one, I promise. I can’t believe I did that, I’m so sorry.” The girl wiped her face on her cardigan sleeve and turned to order him a new coffee, and got softly scolded by her now maybe ex-partner. James rushed to the bathroom and stripped off his shirt and track pants, reddening marks visible on his stomach and upper thighs. He ran cold water over some paper towels and pressed it against the sore areas, while rinsing the brown liquid from his shirt. Was this really happening to him today? James ringed out his top and gave it a few shakes before putting it back on and dabbing the paper towels over his pants. They were black so there was no need to worry about a stain. Once his bottoms were at a reasonable temperature he placed them back on and exited the bathroom, a brand new coffee awaiting him in the hands of the female who seemed to have now made up with her girlfriend.

James thanked the girl who apologized again, before moving towards a seat in the corner as his table was now occupied. He drank his coffee slowly while waiting for the rain to pass – he really wished he had his headphones now. James took out his phone and scrolled through his social media, stopping on a photo of the sunset shared from Instagram by some guy he went to high school with. A flash of a smile ran through his mind – her sweet smile that crinkled her eyes and caught the lighting just right. He opened his album and scrolled until he found the pictures he had taken with her, he smiled as he ran his finger over the screen tracing the side of her face. It had been nearly 6 months since then. James tried not to think about it but his brain couldn’t focus on anything other than her at that moment. He still didn’t know why she left. Maybe she didn’t want to say goodbye? Or maybe… the dark thought twinged his heart, maybe she had never felt the way he did about her. He was just a holiday fling. James shook his head and closed the photos, trying to will the memories from his mind. There was no use dwelling on the past.

James took the last sip of his coffee and looked outside, the white noise of the downpour had dissipated; it had finally stopped raining. He took this opportunity to head back to the house, hoping his day could only get better from here. Just one hundred meters from home, walking along the footpath some hooligan beeped his horn and swerved closer to the gutter. James looked down to see the massive puddle and braced himself for what was to come. He was now once again drenched, this time with murky gutter water that smelled of dirt. James clenched his teeth and ran his hand down his face, but not before flipping the bird to the arsehole who had clearly never learned any manners. He trudged through the front door and into the kitchen, leaving a trail of water in his wake. What was this day right now? Not even 10am and already James had had enough. Maybe city life just wasn’t for him. Heck he wasn’t even _in_ the city yet – but if this was what the residential area was like, who knew what awaited him once he got into the apartment.

A shower warmed his body and clean, _dry_ clothes felt amazing on his skin. Had cotton always felt that soft? He placed on his jacket that was previously tossed over the couch and flicked on the television. James decided it was probably better to spend the rest of the day at the house, after buying some groceries to stock up – just enough for lunch and dinner, he could do a proper shop at a later date when he was having a less shitty day. He stood in line at the checkout and after having waited for 20 minutes it was finally his turn; the midday rush happened to be early, just one more for the list of his taunting day. Just a few more minutes and he’d be on his way back to the house, eating some good food and relaxing watching some tv. He ran his hand down his face and scrunched his nose; the day was wearing on him.

A familiar scent wafted through the air – like citrus mixed with some type of berry… his eyes shot open. Was he daring to hope right now? James flicked his head around so fast it nearly gave him whiplash and caught sight of brown and caramel curls, hair lighter than he remembered but absolutely gorgeous, walking away from his direction.

“Teresa?” he said. James tried not to get his hopes up but the throbbing of his heart told him that that was way beyond his control.  

She noticeably hesitated before turning around, “James?”

Crap. It was actually her. He could almost cry right now. What was he supposed to do in this situation? All he wanted to do was run over to her and wrap her body in his embrace, but she had left him. There was no instruction booklet telling him what to do right now, but considering she up and left of her own volitation James took it to mean she would not respond well to a hug. Or a kiss. God he wanted to kiss her. His widened brown eyes flicked from her eyes to her lips, then back to her eyes as he tried not to think about the way she would taste after so long apart. He was probably the last person she expected to see right now. What were the odds that she would be at this exact grocery store? Wait. Did she… live here? James let out a puff of air as the corners of his mouth upturned. He parted his lips to say something, what exactly he wasn’t sure of yet but he was sure the words would pour out the second he started talking. He motioned forward as she took one step back, her reaction stung his chest more so than he thought, “Teresa –”

“That comes to $47.80,” the cashier said.

James turned around to the lady and hastily took out a $50. He hurriedly turned back but Teresa was no longer there. “Teresa!” he called to the distance with no response. “I just want to know what happened,” he whispered breathlessly to himself and defeatedly grabbed his groceries.

His phone rang on the journey home, from the moving company. James sighed, what else could possibly happen today? The truck with all of his belongings had been delayed and wouldn’t arrive until the following week, no extra charge. James sighed again. At least that’s good news he guessed? Now the problem of where to put all his furniture didn’t have to be figured out.

There was no way James was to get any sleep that night, too many different scenarios to play through his mind. If she lived here, then he would see her again, wouldn’t he?

 

~*~

Her face burned red hot reaching her ears, as she briskly walked from the store completely foregoing her need to buy groceries and dumping her basket by the entrance. She wasn’t going crazy right now, was she? That was James. _Her_ James – well not really hers but it still felt like a piece of him somehow belonged to her and she hated that fact. Loud thuds echoed with each heavy step as her walk turned into a jog before reaching her car, clambering into the driver’s seat and slamming the door behind her. It was hard for Teresa to make sense of the situation that had just occurred, she rubbed the crease lines of her forehead as she replayed the scenario over. What started as a good day was quickly turning sour.

Her grip on the steering wheel whitened her knuckles as she cursed each stoplight for giving her mind ample time to wander. An unidentifiable feeling bubbled up inside of her, like a pot of boiling water ready to spill over. She was enraged. And nauseous. And a little bit sad. Why did he have to show up now? Her life was finally where she wanted it to be; her job was thriving, she was content – well she _was_ until now. Any feelings Teresa had that even suggested she was happy to see his face one more time was quashed by her unbridled annoyance at his sheer audacity to show up in her hometown. Teresa had only seen him for a moment but his pheromones were already leaking all over the place like he owned it. How was it even after all this time he still had a hold over her? Teresa wasn’t going to have it.

The second she got home Teresa ran up the stairs into her bedroom, and looked down upon the small wooden box on her nightstand. The item was no longer undisturbed as she ripped the lid open to stare at that stupid keyring that she never had the heart to get rid of. A surge of anger rose up and her hand moved before her mind had the chance to catch up and pegged the metal object across the room, leaving a small dint in the off-white walling.

Teresa took large gasps of air until her breathing evened out and collected her thoughts while her mind calmed down. Her reaction to this encounter surprised even herself. Of the many situations she dreamt up of the unlikely occurrence she’d see him again, none even came close to the reality. A slap, or some arguing sure, even some crying; but she ran. Teresa never took herself for a flighty person but apparently that was who she was now.

She walked over to the metal object lying in disdain on the floor, sighed and picked it up, tracing the corner where some paint chipped off.  Though a grudge was still held against the man in question, Teresa was probably madder at herself that she still cared so much for him. She placed the keyring back into the box and took a tissue to wipe off the dust. The particles kicked up into the air, Teresa spat and rubbed her nose on her sleeve aggressively until the building sensation in her nose escaped in a mild eruption. She should probably clean it more often. 

The biggest question was just, why now? Why did it have to be this exact moment for him to show back up her life again? It had been months. Months of agony and pain which she eventually got over with the help of her friends and Teresa wasn’t ready to go through that again. But this. What did this all mean? Was he just passing through town, or did he actually move there? A lump grew in her throat from the thought. There were too many open-ended questions, leaving her a nervous wreck. There was only so much she could do to quell her racing heart and quivering lip. Maybe a cold shower would help. People have showers in the middle of the day, right? A large growl erupted from her stomach. Fuck, she hadn’t eaten anything yet or bought any food. Teresa shook her head; just one problem at a time.

Not even bothering to remove her clothes, Teresa stood underneath the showerhead, both hands braced against the wall as the water poured over her head and seeped into her clothing. It wasn’t long before she was soddened and sat on the tiled flooring, her anger now dissolved, no longer able to keep her upright, staring off into the distance. This didn’t have to mean anything. She refused to let his grip on her go any further – and it wasn’t like she was going to see him again anyway. She just had to breathe; in and out. The respiratory mantra slowed her heart and quieted her mind as she stood up and switched off the tap. She squeezed the water out of her hair and left her clothes in a puddle by the washing machine.

Teresa slid into her robe, her stomach vibrating as a loud growl let out. She moved her hand over her stomach, patting it slowly as she headed for the fridge. Empty. “Guess tostadas aren’t an option.” Disappointed, she searched the pantry for the box of cereal stashed on the top shelf and grabbed the whole box, bringing it with her to the lounge and flicked on the television.

God look at her. Not even a minute of contact with the man and she was already eating cereal with her hands out of the box in a robe. “I guess saying someone won’t have a grip on you doesn’t mean they don’t.” She groaned and threw her head back on the couch, sinking lower and lower until she eventually rolled off the furniture.

Her phone rang and Teresa, unwilling to leave the sanctity of the floor, reached her arm up and ran her hand up and down the couch until she found the small device. The screen lit up with Brenda’s name – somehow, she always called right when Teresa needed her.

“Hey Brenda,” she answered, still unmoving from the floor and wriggling to get comfortable on the rug.

“Hey, I was wondering if I could ask a favour?” Brenda said.

“Sure. What is it?” Teresa replied, fiddling with the remote and muting the television so she could hear.

“Could you watch Tony tomorrow for a few hours? Something came up,” she asked.

“Of course,” Teresa said. Watching Tony was never an issue with her, she knew Brenda was busy a person. She’d often look after Tony when he was a toddler, as Brenda was working two jobs before they became co-workers after Teresa put in a good word for her. Now that she had more time on her hands, she started up many hobbies – one being hiking of all things. Maybe her group had a meet up or something tomorrow.

“Thank you so much! I owe you one!” The higher pitch in her voice suggested maybe her plans steered further from hobbies and closer to a date. But as Brenda herself hadn’t mentioned it yet, it was probably too early in the relationship for Teresa to say anything.

Seemingly at the end of the conversation, Teresa cut Brenda off before she could say good-bye, “Wait don’t hang up.”

“Why what’s up?” Brenda asked.

 “You won’t believe who I ran in to today,” Teresa said, she really needed to get this off her chest.

“Oooh who? Was it that hot weather guy? You know how I love him.” That made Teresa giggle. Ah yes, the weather man, Mr Jimenez. Accurate forecasts not so much, but a great arse. 

Teresa slowly inhaled, mentally preparing herself, “It was James,” she said quickly in one puff of breath. There was a long pause, Teresa bit her lip, “Are you still there?”

“Sorry I thought you said James just now,” Brenda said.

“I did,” Teresa confirmed. She had no idea what was running through her friend’s mind right now, hell she could hardly comprehend her own.

Brenda took a moment to collect her thoughts, “What!” she yelled into the phone. Teresa had to physically remove it from her ear so as to not burst her eardrum. “Where on earth did this happen?”

Teresa took a breath, “At the supermarket –”

“Better yet, how did this happen? What the supermarket? The chances of that. What the hell,” Brenda was noticeably equal parts curious and sceptical but the pace at which she spoke was unnerving. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Why is he here?” Brenda asked.

Teresa took a second to think about it, “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? Did he move here – or maybe he’s visiting family?” The bombardment of questions from Brenda kept coming like a never ending stream of water.

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask,” Teresa placed her palm over her eyes, then wiped it back through her hair.

“It’s been like 5 months and after the mess you were, you didn’t bother to ask?” Brenda now sounded more concerned than anything.

“I kind of bolted,” Teresa blurted.

Brenda couldn’t contain her chuckle and erupted in raucous laughter, “You bolted?”

Teresa joined her in the laughter at her absurd response, “Why did I do that?” Teresa sat up and sighed, “The second we locked eyes, I don’t know it was just his dumb face and pretty eyes, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking and when he looked away I ran. I don’t know, I was hit by all these emotions at once and ended up in a huff. I didn’t know whether to be furious at him or not and vented onto my surroundings.” She was reminded of the small hole now in her bedroom wall, “There’s now a lovely dent in my wall, only a little one though.”

“Should I even ask?”

“Probably not,” Teresa stood and laid down on the couch, propping her legs over the back.

“Well, what’s going to happen if you see him again?” Brenda said.

Teresa looked up at the ceiling, the corner of her arm resting atop her head, “I really don’t know.”

 

~*~

Teresa was startled awake by Brenda’s car pulling into her driveway. She looked all around her, still on the couch from the night before and quickly wiped the drool from the side of her face. “Ah fuck,” she had a half-finished bag of chips on the coffee table, remnants of a pizza she ordered late last night still on the couch and napkins everywhere. Teresa had no time at all to tidy before the doorbell rung, so she hastily grabbed the pizza box and lobbed it into the kitchen, “Coming!” she called. She combed her fingers through her tangled curls briefly and straightened out her shirt before answer the door. She knew she looked a mess, but hopefully Brenda wouldn’t say anything.

“You look nice,” Teresa said, looking over Brenda’s appearance. She was wearing a sundress with flats, sunglasses perched on her head.

“Thanks,” she peered over Teresa’s shoulder into her loungeroom, “Don’t tell me you fell asleep on the couch.” Brenda pointed to her chin and Teresa quickly got the hint and scrubbed the dried drool she had missed earlier. And there was that judgemental mum face.

Teresa was stumped for a reply, “Uh,” and half shrugged, tilting her head to the left.

“I don’t have time to deal with this,” she waved her hand over Teresa’s being, “I’m already late.” She bent down and gave Tony a kiss on the top of his head, “Be good for Teresa. I’ll pick him up this afternoon, thanks again!” Brenda waved, got in her car and drove away. Definitely seemed like she had pre-date jitters.

Teresa ushered the boy inside, “Well come in, make yourself at home. There’s juice in the fridge, I’m just going to take a quick shower okay?” Tony gave her a quick nod before taking his DS out of his bag and playing a game. Teresa sprinted up the steps and took a quick shower before heading back downstairs to tidy.

“Is there anything you want to do today?” she asked.

“Nah,” he replied, eyes not averting his screen.

“Then… want to watch a movie?” Teresa said.

“Okay, just let me finish the level,” Tony replied. His game took another 5 minutes or so, giving Teresa time to scroll through the Netflix options. Another 5 minutes of scrolling and she still couldn’t decide what to watch so Tony took over control and settled on the first comedy flick available. Teresa grabbed the chips from the coffee table, placed it between them on the couch and pre-emptively turned the volume up to hear over the crunching. The movie was long and had its funny moments but the second it ended Tony ask what there was to eat.

“Well I haven’t had time to do a proper shop this week,” she remembered the events of the previous day, internally cringing. “How about we go and get something?”

Tony’s eye lit up, “Can we get ice-cream too?”

Teresa laughed, “Sure, just don’t tell your mum.”

It was a cute little complex, about a 10 minute drive from Teresa’s house, with many food vendors and a courtyard, and only a 5 minute walk to the ice-cream shop down the road. They sat on plastic chairs across from each other out the front of the souvlaki joint, eating their lunch.

“So, how’s school going?” Teresa said.

“It’s okay. They give us too much homework. But Matt found this really cool stick the other day, that was pronged on the end like a trident. It was really cool,” Tony replied, his enthusiasm overflowing.

“That’s awesome. And what about soccer?”

“Yeah, our team made it to the semi-finals, though I don’t get to play a lot, but that’s okay. Me and Matt usually sit on the sidelines talking about videogames,” Tony said. He seemed perfectly content with only playing occasionally; at least he was getting along with his teammates.

“So, Matt’s on your team and you go to school together?” Teresa asked.

“Yeah. It’s pretty fun, we get to hang out all the time,” Tony wiped his face on his sleeve, and scrunched the foil wrapper into a ball then tossed it into the bin, “His mum makes the best mac and cheese.” Tony’s eyes widened, “Don’t tell mum I said that.”

“I won’t,” Teresa chuckled, “Ice-cream time?” she enquired, eyebrow raised as she discarded her rubbish.

“Yes please!” Tony’s overeager voice let out.

They walked down the road, engrossed in conversation until a familiar blonde crossed their path, yoga mat slung over her shoulder and matching aerobic garb.

“Oh my god, Teresa!” Kelly Anne exclaimed, “It feels like ages since I’ve seen you!”

“Kelly Anne, hey,” she replied. It had been a hot minute since they last hung out – probably wasn’t since about four Sundays ago when she convinced Teresa to go to one of her yoga classes. Teresa was aching for the next week and refused to go back; she would stick to jogging.

“What are you up to right now?” Kelly Anne peered down at Tony, “And who’s this cute fella?”

“This is Tony, Brenda’s son. We’re heading to get some ice-cream now,” Teresa said.

“I’m going to get 3 scoops with sprinkles!” Tony chimed in.

“Oh, are you now?” Teresa laughed.

“Sounds like fun! Mind if I tag along?” Kelly Anne asked.

“Not at all,” Teresa replied, pushing the button at the pedestrian crossing. “I take it you just came from class?” she motioned to Kelly Anne’s attire. 

“Yeah, I took a later session today though, thought I’d give myself a sleep in. This Mifflin-Dun case is getting intense. Those bastards at NMR thought they could bury me in paperwork, but I found our smoking gun,” Kelly Anne smiled mischievously, a little sleep deprived but fist clenched in triumph.

“Well that’s good,” Teresa replied. She never really did keep up with Kelly Anne’s work conversations, but she seemed to be doing well. 

The three sat under a shade umbrella, Teresa with a vanilla cone, Tony with a triple scoop cup and sprinkles and Kelly Anne with a small, single scoop mango sorbet. The low hum of the ice-cream fridge could be heard outside the shop as the air was stagnant; if it weren’t for their cover they’d be sweating from the beady midday sun.  

“How’s your ocean discovery going, captain?” Kelly Anne asked, taking a big bite of her icy dessert.

Ugh. Just when Teresa had got the thought of him out of her mind. Well that was a nice few hours. “Remember the guy I met in Portugal?”

“Mhm,” Kelly Anne nodded and leaned closer, markedly invested in where this was going, “Magical cove guy.”

Teresa was puzzled by the statement but continued, “Well… I saw him buying groceries yesterday.”

Kelly Anne shook the table as she slammed her hands down and squealed, “Oh my god, are you serious?” Her mouth was wide, enjoying the drama of the situation. “Wait, is this a good or a bad thing?”

“I’m not sure,” Teresa responded honestly.

“Well you must see him again, and get it –” she peered to the child sitting with them, “get one last sweet from him to get it out of your system.”

Tony looked at the blonde, “You know I’m not a kid anymore, I’m 12. I know what sex is.”

Teresa and Kelly Anne’s mouths hung ajar as they looked to each other dumbfounded. Did that just happen?

“And I don’t think you should see him again,” Tony said matter-of-factly.

“W-What? How do you?” Teresa stuttered, not even sure what to do in this situation. 

“I’ve overheard you and my mum talking about him. He sounds like a bad guy, I don’t think you should see him,” Tony was adamant in his opinion, not even making eye contact while he finished his ice-cream.

Both adults were stunned, but Kelly Anne was the first to break into a soft laugh, “Well if Tony doesn’t think it’s a good idea, maybe you shouldn’t see him again.”

“I don’t even know if I will!” Teresa’s face flushed, “Can we please talk about something else now?”

Kelly Anne looked at her watch, “Well it’s about time I head off,” she stood from her chair, “It was fun seeing you Teresa! And you too Tony.”

Teresa waved her friend off, “We should probably get going too, your mum will be back soon.”

They drove back to Teresa’s house, barely in the front door before Brenda pulled up in her driveway.

“Hi!” she beamed, “I hope he was good today.”

Teresa looked to the boy, “Yeah he was.”

 

~*~

Teresa boarded the train for work, headphones in her ears and quickly snatched up one of the few remaining seats for her journey, propping her bag in the space next to her. Her music was loud to keep her awake until she could buy some coffee. Sleep was a restless feat the previous night, bouts of insomnia keeping her awake, and rather than staring at the ceiling for hours Teresa decided to give her house a deep clean. She brought her hands to her nose, they still smelled faintly of bleach. Teresa grabbed the vanilla lotion from the front pocket of her bag, rehydrating her hands and slightly masking the chemical smell. Brenda embarked at the next stop, saw Teresa and promptly took the place of her bag. They greeted each other as Teresa put away her music, hoping that her friend’s enthusiasm would be stimulating enough to carry her mind until their stop.

“You look like crap,” Brenda said. The lady certainly never pulled her punches.

“I didn’t sleep well. Ended up scrubbing down the bathroom and kitchen,” Teresa said. She tried to refrain from rubbing her increasingly heavy eyelids due to the strategically placed makeup to hide her dark circles.

“I hope that wasn’t because of you know who,” Brenda stated.

Teresa shrugged off the comment as her eyes wandered the carriage. A shot of adrenaline seared through her veins when she caught a glimpse of the tall man on the opposite end of the carriage. Fuck fuck fuck. She quickly grabbed her handbag and covered her face, turning her head away from his direction before he could notice. When did he get on? Teresa side-eyed Brenda for somehow magically conjuring him here via her poor choice of words. Man, the universe really was out to get her. There was no escape to the enclosed space; Teresa’s flight response starting to kick in. She took quick shallow breaths while screaming internally and clutching her bag with a raging force.

“What’s going on? Why are you acting strange?” Brenda asked, concern plastered all over her face. Teresa just shook her head and brought her finger to her lips hushing her friends and trying to will his presence away. Brenda followed where Teresa’s gaze had fallen just before, spotting a tall man that looked suspiciously similar to the way she had described him many times before. “Holy fuck, is that Ja–” Teresa slapped her hand over her friend’s mouth.

“Shhhhh! What if he hears you?” Teresa whisper-yelled.

“So what? You deserve to get some answers.” Brenda started moving towards the unsuspecting man, determination in her eyes. Before Teresa let her get any further she tugged on her friend’s arm just as the train pulled into the station and swiftly exited the carriage. “What are you doing?”

Teresa held her breath until the train moved on and then let out a sigh of relief. Brenda tapped her foot, clearly unimpressed and pointed to the sign above her head, “You know this isn’t our stop, right?” Brenda looked over Teresa’s hopeless expression, “This is pathetic, you’re pathetic.” She sighed, “What now genius?”

“We wait for the next train…?” Teresa said, still in shock that she had run away once again. What was wrong with her?

Brenda rolled her eyes, “I don’t know where your spine went, but you need to get it back.”

“I know. I’m sure everything will be back to normal soon.”

Brenda smacked her lips, “Whatever you say.”

Finally making it to their stop, Teresa exited the station and bought two black coffees, per her routine, and bee-lined for the fifth floor.

“Morning Teresita,” Pote said, accepting the coffee. “What, no sugar?”

Teresa reached into her pocket and pulled out the small white packet, “You only get one. I really need to stop enabling you.”

The man grumbled at her and stirred in the tiny crystals before taking a sip and placing it on his desk.

“So, what’s the word for this week? Anything happening?” Teresa enquired, leaning back in Pote’s office chair as he flipped through the filing cabinet.

“The new guy starts on Thursday, but his orientation is today. He’s a green one too – from some small town or something but I’ve heard he’s good,” Pote responded, pulling out a document and swiftly closing the cabinet. “You know, the one replacing Renee. He’s your department, so you’re probably going to have to show him around.”

Teresa groaned, “Ugh, do I have to? I’m in no mood to show a new guy around today. Can’t you do it?”

Pote chuckled, “I do all his contracts and records but he’s your department so you have to do it.”

Teresa whined and threw her head back. Her plan to keep her head down today flew right out the window with the rest of her motivation. She was already on edge and now she had to babysit some random new guy? Maybe she did something bad in a past life to deserve this type of karma.

“Speak of the devil,” Pote said, moving to the entrance of his office. Teresa opened her eyes, not bothering to sit up properly and took a quick peek at her new co-worker.

Her eyes once again locked onto those enchanting brown spheres, the depths of which she could get lost in forever. The corner of his mouth upturned showing some teeth.

Teresa snapped out of her trance, “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading my story so far :) I do read all the comments and appreciate them very much I'm just very awkward at replying so I'll try better to respond

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you enjoyed the chapter!  
> Man i did more research on Portugal than I actually needed lol  
> Come yell at me on tumblr (nicely) @bethepenny


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